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Pie-Making Hints




Source of Recipe


Cooking Information Center


Recipe Link: http://www.cooking-information-center.com

Chiffon, cream, custard, frozen, and fruit pies are all very different. Here are some preparation tips for each type.

Chiffon:

For a perfect chiffon pie, chill the dissolved gelatin mixture until it is as thick as corn syrup.

Let the gelatin stand at room temperature while you stiffly beat the egg whites. By the time you finish beating the whites, the gelatin should have thickened to the consistency of unbeaten egg whites. Then you can fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the gelatin mixture.

When chiffon pies contain both stiffly beaten egg whites and whipped cream, first fold in the
egg whites into the gelatin mixture, then fold in the whipped cream. You will avoid overmixing
the whipped cream.

Chill chiffon pies for at least 6 hours before serving.

Cream:

Refrigerate meringue topped cream pies after 1 hour of cooling. Chill for 3 to 6 hours before
serving. Cover and refrigerate leftover pie, being careful not to touch the top of the pie with
the cover. A tent of foil makes a good cover when no high top cover is available.

For perfect slices of a meringue-topped pie, dip the knife in warm water before cutting each
slice. Also, wipe knife clean between slices.

To avoid messy spills, position the pie shell on the oven rack before pouring in the filling.
Also place a sheet of foil in the bottom of the oven to collect drips.

To tell if a custard pie is done, insert a knife slightly off-center. If the knife comes out clean,
the pie is done. It is typical for a crack to form in the filling as a result of this test. Or, gently
wiggle the pie. If the custard is firm except for a spot in the center about the size of a quarter,
the pie is done. The center will firm up as it cools.

Don't overcook custard pies. When overcooked, custard filling become tough and can get watery. To prevent overcooking, check for doneness a little before the minimum baking time.

Frozen:

For easy slicing, let frozen pies soften at room temperature about 15 minutes.

To make slices easy to remove and serve, wrap the bottom of the plate in a hot, damp towel for a few minutes before cutting the pie.

For perfect slices, dip the knife in water between each cut.

Fruit:

For double-crust pies, cut slits in the top crust before baking to release steam during cooking.

To catch messy spills from a pie filling that may bubble over, bake your pie on a baking sheet
or pizza pan or place a sheet of foil in the bottom of your oven.

For pretty pies, brush unbaked pie tops with milk or water. Or, sprinkle with sugar or a
cinnamon-sugar mixture, then bake.

For an extra-festive look, reroll pastry trimmings and make cutouts. Add cutouts to top of a
double-crust pie, lightly brush with milk and bake according to the recipe. The leaf pattern in
the center of the pie is always a decorative and easy addition.